Are they still manufacturing Oxygen Protons (the board)?

[cail]

Can't find anything on these boards. I heard they were being made by Atomic, which is owned by Amer Sports. Neither site has any info on Oxygen.

I know they had a board come out for this past year, just wandered if anybody knows if they're going to continue to make them.

[Ernie00]

you might want to check with Dave and Andrea at YYZCanuck, if I wasn't day dreaming they were talking about brigning the proton back in their line upfor next year 2008. I remember at least something like that being talked about in at the beggining of the season on the formus. Check with them to confirm.

[bobdea]

it's the model of board that won't die but quite honestly just about everything is better that is new even the F2 stuff unless there have been big changes with the protons in the last couple years

for the for another $100 you could have a new coiler..........

[lonerider]

it's the model of board that won't die but quite honestly just about everything is better that is new even the F2 stuff unless there have been big changes with the protons in the last couple years

for the for another $100 you could have a new coiler..........

And wait 2 years. I love my Coiler EX though, way better than my 2002/3ish (blue titanium cap) Proton.

[bobdea]

Bruce is full time now, more like a month or two wait these days

[lonerider]

Bruce is full time now, more like a month or two wait these days

Nice.

[cail]

awesome, thanks for the info guys!

[BlueB]

it's the model of board that won't die but quite honestly just about everything is better is better that is new...

Hmmmm....

I didn't ride a Proton (although I have a great desire), but from what other people wrote about it:

- Very damp

- Very good edge hold

- Softer than most of the boards of the same vintage

- Wider than most of the boards of the same generation

- Torsionally stiff

- Titanium / Titanal components in some of the models, even full top sheets

Now... isn't that exactely what most of recent boards claim to be?

Was Oxygen (Atomic) ahead of the pack and it's time, again?

Boris

[bobdea]

not if you were riding Doneks, tomahawks, priors, coilers, F2s or even in some cases dare I say Rossignol.

the protons were not that damp and not as good as many of the other boards from the same vintage in terms of durability and the flex I'd say that they were fairly stiff planks which for me was good but not for Joe Normal.

I think people were into them because they were cheap and atainable but yet did not say Burton anywhere.

really it comes down to what you want to compare them with, a proton Vs a rossi throttle and the proton wins every time but compared to a rossi world cup is the WC every time.

priors, doneks and coilers, no question here, I've been on a few of each dating from around the same time protons were big sellers.

Burton? depends on if they were team boards and if you go with standard "consumer" versions of the primes and what year and models.

with all I said above there were a bunch of things that were real good about those boards and were way ahead of their time compared to burton and a couple other big vendors.

as far as the metal goes Volkl, O2 and even the old ass checker pigs had metal in their boards for years(in the case of the checker pig like 1992 or 93) but it's a different metal or implemented in a different way and you can tell when compared to the new generation of boards with titanal at least from the three vendors boards I've been on. totally different type of ride, these boards are on a different level and much easier to ride. that's what is so great about the new generation of boards, they are very user friendly once you realize how to ride them to the point where you feel like a super hero. I found myself not shifting my weight between the nose and tail as much.

in the end my personal opinion is that the protons were the most over-rated boards of that period, **** compared to a Madd from 1996. good god. but not bad boards either.

[kipstar]

'I'd say that they were fairly stiff planks which for me was good but not for Joe Normal.'

who is this Joe Normal?

I see he is very popular to talk about, but doesn't he post here anymore? Is he part of the Bordy/CMC group?

[Chris Houghton]

Joe Normal? He started "the norm" didn't he? Some kind of hardboot performance I think.

[lonerider]

Hmmmm....

I didn't ride a Proton (although I have a great desire), but from what other people wrote about it:

- Very damp

- Very good edge hold

- Softer than most of the boards of the same vintage

- Wider than most of the boards of the same generation

- Torsionally stiff

- Titanium / Titanal components in some of the models, even full top sheets

Now... isn't that exactely what most of recent boards claim to be?

Was Oxygen (Atomic) ahead of the pack and it's time, again?

Boris

I had a Oxygen Proton 164GS with Titanium Cap. I would say that is only mildly damp, decent edgehold, wider than typical (19.5), torsionally stiff and above-average stiffness. It was far better than my Burton UP162 of similar vintage, but no way "ahead of it's time." The flex pattern wasn't that great in my opinion and there are several other brands of boards I would pick in terms of quality/construction over it... still it was wide, had a long sidecut, and was cheap - great combination.

[scotts.Scheinman]

I havent seen a proton in a long time. i dont know if they still make them. Check thier site

[Kirk]

Hmmmm....

I didn't ride a Proton (although I have a great desire), but from what other people wrote about it:

- Very damp

- Very good edge hold

- Softer than most of the boards of the same vintage

- Wider than most of the boards of the same generation

- Torsionally stiff

- Titanium / Titanal components in some of the models, even full top sheets

Now... isn't that exactely what most of recent boards claim to be?

Was Oxygen (Atomic) ahead of the pack and it's time, again?

Boris

Had a regular stock '01 178 GS for a while (for a good price) and here is what I can tell you about my experience:

- Dampness was not particularly noticeable

- Edge hold was good at certain speeds and pitches. No taper, so the board resisted releasing an edge

- Relatively stiff torsionally and longitudinal

- I'm aware of no Titanal in these decks(??). It was a cap-const. deck and I believe the "Titanium Cap" benefit was to reinforce/protect the sidewall

- The board had an aesthetically pleasing outline (nose shape and that little half-moon piece was kinda cool - though it served no fucntion as far as I could tell).

- It had a 19.5 waist which I DID like

The board was OK. It had a following and was used by some World Cup level athletes - mostly Europe (team stock stuff of course). The one I had was in my collection for a very short period of time and it was moved on. Still fairly fun ride, but in my experience, it was NO WAY in the same league as the newer stuff currently produced by the usual suspects (Prior, Coiler, Donek, Kessler, SG etc. etc.). I actually enjoyed all the Nidecker decks that I owned more than the Proton.

[Thumper]

Had a regular stock '01 178 GS for a while (for a good price) and here is what I can tell you about my experience:

- Dampness was not particularly noticeable

- Edge hold was good at certain speeds and pitches. No taper, so the board resisted releasing an edge

I have a similar blue titanium cap 185 that rides exactly like your description. It was a good first true GS-style board and felt ingot-stiff compared to a Burton Speed, especially with TD1s. Totally correct about the "resisting releasing an edge," too. It's the first board I HAD to detune. (Thanks to Scott Firestone's Carvers Almanac for that tip.) One unplanned high speed excursion into the trailside flora is enough. That was my only complaint about it, though, and dulling about 1/2 inch down from the nose and, especially 1/2 from the tail definitely helped. Still I now love the controllability a tapered board gives -it's like cheating.

[Kirk]

One unplanned high speed excursion into the trailside flora is enough.

Ouch

I remember hearing several years back ('02?) that the Oxygen name was to be dropped by Atomic and that the alpine stuff was going away.

Apparently it's back:

Bola has 'em and so do these guys -

http://startingate.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TS&Product_Code=Oxy1&Category_Code=OXY

[AK in PA]

A 178 Proton is my only ride. I bought it used to replace my 6.3 PJ and Asym Air. Blows both of those boards away. On good days in PA, I LMAO alternately bouncing my butt cheeks and right arm pit off the snow wondering, "How is this possible?!" Damn thing can be hooky though. I've come within inches of my life trying to get the thing to release while careening at trees at 40+ mph. The mental image goes something like this; "Shi*, SHi*, SHI*!!! Crackle, crackle, crackle, crud, crud, crud!!! Holy CHRIST that was close!!!" :lol: If I rode enough to justify a new Donek or Coiler, I might try it. Goin' to Colorodo this winter, so we'll see.... Cost vs. performance wise for the average Joe riding a handful of days a year, it's tough to beat. That Proton is a carving BEAST!

[AaronG]

I have the same board that Thumper has, it is my go to board for perfect cord conditions. If it's not good cord then I jump over to my other board which is the Prior 4WD.

Last year I was riding with Bullwings, who is now injured and contemplating selling his alpine gear, at our local hill. He was riding his 170? Prior ATV and he was wondering why I was turning inside of his turns on my Oxy Proton 185 w/ the 16 meter scr compared with his 9 meter scr on his Prior. I love that board, nice and smooth. Narrow for quick edge to edge transitions and extra long to impress the ladies in the lift lines!! :) :)

I can't wait for snowfall this year, I have a new Rossi 190 that I want to try out on Stump Alley at Mammoth first thing in the morning.

[kipstar]

stump alley LOL

That brings back a few memories; chair 2 and the, what is that area right under chair 2 (since renamed) right by the lodge called? Great place for some euro carves :-)

3 years since going to mammoth last time....those were the days.

[Guest]

I do not like Protons. A 178 was my first board was a proton, and while it served its purpose, I would never ride another. Too hooky, too stiff, and just generally not much fun at all.